Scarborough couple launch ground-breaking loose leaf organic tea business

Hish and Lisa Al-Bizri set up the Finest Organic Tea Company after being inspired by visits to tea plantations during their honeymoon in Sri Lanka.

Hish said: “We visited Sri Lanka in 2015 and all I knew about tea before that was PG Tips!

"The tea we tried at the plantations blew our minds and we’ve been mildly obsessive about it ever since.”

The couple wanted to start their own business for a long time, but were busy with their day jobs – Hish as a gas engineer and Lisa running an online printer ink business.

However, after countless hours of planning and research, they decided the time was right to join forces and do something that they were both passionate about.

The Finest Organic Loose Leaf Tea Company was born and the couple believe that it is currently the only solely organic tea company in the UK.

Hish said: “Lots of companies are doing organic tea but with a limited selection of maybe five to 10 varieties.

"We currently have 90 different types of tea from all over the world.”

Hish’s favourite is the Marrakesh Mint and Lisa favours the Silver Needle Jasmine and Sleep Well teas.

Hish said the tea market in general is highly competitive, but that organic tea has only become more widely available and popular in the last few years.

He said: “The process to become Organically Certified and Carbon Neutral has been a difficult one – it was much easier to become a gasman than it was to get the organic certification.”

The couple have also done extensive research about the health benefits of tea and have felt the benefits themselves.

Lisa said: “It’s all backed by studies – it’s not just pie in the sky.

"Tea has been used for health for centuries.”

The couple plan to change, update and expand their range of products in future and have been receiving 5* reviews since they launched.

Hish said: “So many of my customers I’ve met as a gas engineer drink loose leaf tea – it’s not until you get chatting to people about it that you realise how popular it is.”

Go to www.finestorganictea.co.uk for more.